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(No Model.)

WI ESSES Maw J. Gr/WILSON.

BLAGKBOARD PARTITION.

Patented Jan. 21, 1890).

H A I 2 Sheets-Sheet .1.

INVENTUR hmeah .W'Uaw.

ATT

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES G. VILSON, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

BLACKBOAR-D-PARTITION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,810, dated January 21, 18 90. Application filed December 4, 1889. Serial No. 832,579. (No model.) Patented in England June 18, 1889, No. 9,973.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES G. \VILSON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blackboard- Partitions, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 9,978, dated June 18, 1889,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a blackboard composed of a series of slats bound together in such a manner as to form a plane surface on one or both sides thereof and to admit of its being rolled up, said blackboard at the same time forming a partition for dividing or subdividing school or lecture rooms. School or lecture rooms are frequently divided or subdivided into separate or small rooms by movable partitions, so that the said separated rooms can be readily thrown into one spacious room when the occasion requires.

The principal object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a partition which can be readily removed by rolling it up, while when drawn down it serves as a blackboard.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a face view of a combined blackboard and'partition constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on a larger scale, showing the combined blackboard and partition rolled up. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section of the same, illustrating its construction. Fig. 4 is a face view of Fig. 8, part being broken away. Fig. 5 is an end View of Fig. 4.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the letter A designates a partition having its upper end attached to a roller or pulley B, upon which it can be coiled up when desired. The sides of this partition are guided in suitable ways 19, secured to the posts or pillars O C. One side of this partition is made to present a perfectly-smooth unbroken surface, and this surface I prepare as a blackboard by the application of black silicate paint thereto, or by any other known means. Any suitably-constructed rolling partition which will present a perfectly-smooth surface will answer to form such a rolling blackboard. In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a construction particularly adapted for this purpose, a a being slats of wood threaded upon suitable metallic cables D, the uppermost extremities of which are attached to the upper end slat and the lower ends to spiral springs E, placed within the lower end slat. I will not enter further into the peculiar construction of this partition, as it is fully explained in Letters Patent No. 405,450, granted to me June 18, 1889.

It will be seen that when the partition is drawn down the slats come closely together, and are held sobythe tension of the springs, thereby affording a smooth unbroken surface for the chalk.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A blackboard consisting of a series of slats bound together in such a. manner as to permit of its being rolled up, said blackboard when drawn down presenting a perfectlysmooth unbroken surface and forming a partition for dividing or subdividing school or lecture rooms, substantially as described.

I11 testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of November, 1889.

JAMES G. \VILSON.

Witnesses:

THEODORE A. IIUNGERFORD, W. A. ROEDEL. 

